This Male Black Guillemot was trying his best to mount a proposed mate last week. She was having nothing of it! Every time he raised a leg in anticipation of getting on board she changed position … in the end they decided to just sit together and look out to sea. Lovely birds these, so uncommon here in Norfolk but up on Mull and the west coast of Scotland last week we saw plenty.

When we were travelling up to Mull we stopped to photograph several Black Guillemots. Not common further south they are a refreshing change from our other Auks. Smart dapper little birds with their pied plumage and red legs; cheerful little characters.

Sometimes you look for years for an opportunity and one day it just comes along almost as though it never really mattered.
Andrew (thank you buddy) had told me about a small colony of Black Guillemot he had seen nesting in a busy costal town on the west coast of Scotland a few years ago and I was keen to see if they were still there.
They were … in small numbers. Previously I had encountered Black Guillemot distantly from boats or sat on the sea offshore. These beautiful birds with their contrasting plumage were now within feet of me. Such a treat to be able to see and photograph them so close.
Several were courting … chasing and whistling at one another; completely oblivious to me. In the bright sunshine set against a seabed lit with so many colours they looked enchanting.